1Abigail Adams to Abigail Adams Smith, 19 July 1798 (Adams Papers)
I received p r. post yours of the 17 th this day. I shall forward your Letter to the Children. I received a Letter from mrs Johnson of the 12 th in which she says mr Cranch’s wounds were healing, that the most dangerous was just below the Hair, two other upon the side of the head. the skull was laid bare. the Bravadoes struck him twice after he was sensless upon the Ground, and for no other...
2Abigail Adams to Abigail Adams Smith, 11 April 1798 (Adams Papers)
I received your two letters of April 5th and 7th, yesterday, and I enclosed you two from the children, in a letter to your brother this week, receiving them on that day; and not having time to write to you, before the post went. I do not think I have so frequently written to you for a month past, as I did through the winter; and it is because I have felt less anxious for you since the Col.’s...
3Abigail Adams to Abigail Adams Smith, 14 August 1795 (Adams Papers)
I quitted you with a heavy heart with many reflections upon my mind known only to myself. You ask me why I choose to be separated from my children? To see my children happy around me would be a felicity to me which Providence does not see fit to grant me— Some are called to act their part in a foreign land— Others are destined to live at a distance where our intercourse must be chiefly by...
4Abigail Adams to Abigail Adams Smith, 10 March 1794 (Adams Papers)
Although the scenes in which I have been engaged for six weeks past, have been very different from those which you describe, I have been amused and entertained by your account. Though I cannot say that I am charmed with your hero’s personal accomplishments, as you describe them, yet you find I think our ladies ought to be cautious of foreigners. I am almost led to suspect a spy in every...
5Abigail Adams to Abigail Adams Smith, 8 March 1794 (Adams Papers)
I received your kind letter of February 12th, as well as one, by Mr. Storer, of February 2d. I have been every day since thinking that I would write to you, but a superior duty has occupied all my time for six weeks past. I have been only two days (when I was too sick to attend) absent from the sick bed of your grandmother. Your desire, that her last days might be rendered as comfortable as it...
6Abigail Adams to Abigail Adams Smith, 3 February 1794 (Adams Papers)
I have not written to you since I received yours of January 5th. I go from home but very little, yet I do not find my time hang heavy upon my hands. You know that I have no aversion to join in the cheerful circle, or mix in the world, when opportunity offers. I think it tends to rub off those austerities which age is apt to contract, and reminds us, as Goldsmith says, “that we once were...
7Abigail Adams to Abigail Adams Smith, 28 February 1793 (Adams Papers)
I wrote to you by your brother making a proposal to you which you might not consider me in earnest about— Since then I have two additional motives to request the Col s consideration and your’s of the subject. If setting aside family connexions it is with respect to business a matter of indifference which city you reside in I certainly could wish it might be Philadelphia for four years to come....
8Abigail Adams to Abigail Adams Smith, 10 February 1793 (Adams Papers)
I received yesterday by way of Nyork your kind Letter of two dates october 28 & Nov br 8 th a fortnight before I received a Letter sent by captain Bunyan I wrote you by mrs Jeffry & once since by way of Liverpool I designd to have written by the last vessel which saild in dec br but I waited to see how the Election would turn for v. P & the vessel saild without my getting a Letter on Board. no...
9Abigail Adams to Abigail Adams Smith, 3 November 1792 (Adams Papers)
Mrs Jeffry sails in Captain Scott and is so good as to say that she will take Letters to you. I have written to you by Captain Barnard who generally has quick passages—and by his return I hope to hear from you. I had Letters last week from Charles. he writes that our Friends in N york were all well, excepting chief Justice Jay who had been dangerously Sick, but was then on the recovery. The...
10Abigail Adams to Abigail Adams Smith, 21 February 1791 (Adams Papers)
I received yours of February 13th, and was happy to learn that you and your little ones were well. I wrote to you by the Chief Justice, and sent your silk by him. He promised me to visit you, and from him you will learn how we all are. We have had, ever since this month began, a succession of bad weather, and, for this week past, the coldest weather that I have experienced this winter. The...
11Abigail Adams to Abigail Adams Smith, 25 January 1791 (Adams Papers)
You must not flatter yourself with the expectation of hearing from Colonel Smith until the February packet arrives. It is as soon as you ought to think of it. You see by the papers, that a minister is in nomination from England, and Mrs. C—— writes, will come out soon. Mrs. P——, from whom I received a letter, writes me by the last packet, that Mr. Friere is certainly appointed from Portugal,...
12Abigail Adams to Abigail Adams Smith, 8 January 1791 (Adams Papers)
I received, by Mr. King, your letter of December 30th. I am uneasy if I do not hear from you once a week, though you have not any thing more to tell me than that you and your little ones are well. I think you do perfectly right in refusing to go into public during the absence of Colonel Smith. The society of a few friends is that from which most pleasure and satisfaction are to be derived....
13Abigail Adams to Abigail Adams Smith, 26 December 1790 (Adams Papers)
I would tell you that I had an ague in my face, and a violent toothache, which has prevented my writing to you all day; but I am determined to brave it out this evening, and inquire how you do. Without further complaint, I have become so tender, from keeping so much in a warm chamber, that, as soon as I set my foot out, I am sure to come home with some new pain or ache. On Friday evening last,...
14Abigail Adams to Abigail Adams Smith, 21–28 November 1790 (Adams Papers)
I suppose you wish to hear from me and from your little boy. He is very well, and very amusing, as usual; talks of William, and of the other papa; is as fond as ever of the “fosses,” and has a great edition to his amusement and pleasures from a flock of sheep, which are daily pastured by a shepherd and his dog upon the lawn in front of our house. Bush Hill, as it is called, though by the way...
15Abigail Adams to Abigail Adams Smith, 6 August 1788 (Adams Papers)
It grieves me to think how little I have been able to write to you since my arrival here. I have set apart many hours which I have determined to devote to you, but family cares company sickness have prevented I have received all your kind Letters and thank you for the intelligence containd in them I rejoice at your agreeable situation & wish that I could visit you more than in Idea, but at...
16Abigail Adams to Abigail Adams Smith, 7 July 1788 (Adams Papers)
It has been no small mortification to me since my arrival here, that I have not been able to hold a pen, or use my hand in writing, until this day. I came on shore with three whitloes upon the thumb and two fingers of my right, and two upon the left hand, so that I could not do the least thing for myself. I begged my friends to write, and let you know of our arrival, after a very tedious...
17Abigail Adams to Abigail Adams Smith, 29 May 1788 (Adams Papers)
I hope you are safe landed at Jamaica, before this time, with Mr. Smith and my sweet boy; how often have I thought of him, amidst the turbulent waves, which have so frequently encompassed us upon our passage, and prayed that you might have met with more prosperous gales, and a shorter passage than has fallen to our share. On the 20th of April we embarked from Cowes, from whence I wrote you; we...
18Abigail Adams to Abigail Adams Smith, 9 April 1788 (Adams Papers)
It is now ten days since we left London, and have been waiting at Portsmouth and here for the ship, but cannot yet learn that she has passed Gravesend. The weather is fine, but this waiting is very tedious, in a place where we have no acquaintance, and very little to interest or amuse us. We took a ride, yesterday, to Newport, the principal town in the island, and visited Carisbrook Castle....
19Abigail Adams to Abigail Adams Smith, 2 April 1788 (Adams Papers)
April the 2 d: and the anniversary of the birth of my dear Grandson whom I am half distracted to see again, with all his pretty, winning pranks. God bless and preserve the dear boy and grant us all, a happy meeting on the other side the great water. We left London on Sunday about two o clock, and arrived here on Monday evening, having made a very good exchange of the Bath Hotel for the...